Q: Are you saying that--
Bush: To suggest that President Gorbachov would plot to put the people of the Soviet
Union through this kind of trauma and the rest of the world through it just makes
absolutely no sense at all. Now, I haven't heard him say that, so I want to hedge it. You've
told me he said it; I haven't heard it. So, I've got to be very careful I don't react to
something that may not be true. I learned that one a long time ago.
Here we can see that Bush pulled himself together just enough to leave himself an escape
hatch after he had blown his top.
September 11: In a photo opportunity with Congressmen in which he was asked about his
demand that the Congress postpone a vote on loan guarantees for Israel until January,
1992, so as to permit a Middle East peace conference to take place in the meantime, Bush
showed flareups of rage. Bush's ploy was widely thought to be part of the preparation of
an Israeli "breakaway ally" scenario, in which Israel, defying the wishes of Washington,
would wage war against Jordan, mass-deport the Palestinians, and possibly attack other
Arab states. Bush had been accused of anti-semitism by a minority member of the Israeli
cabinet. Was he going to lose a confrontation with the formidable Zionist lobby? This
issue was Bush's obsession of the moment; his reply was testy and full of veiled threats:
"Well, I don't know what you mean by lose on it. What I'm for is the peace process to be
successful, and we're working diligently for that. [...] And so, what I'm suggesting is a
simple delay here, in my view and in the view of all of us in the administration, is the
best way to set the proper tone for these talks to start. And I feel very strongly about it.
So, it's not a question of winning or losing in my view. Strong-willed people look at these
matters differently. My view is that a delay is in the interest, and I'm going to fight for it.
And I think the American people will back me on it if we take the case to the people. But
what we're really trying to do is work it out without getting into a lot of confrontation."
Was a confrontation not already taking place? Bush answered, with his rage quotient
rising: "I can take quite a few punches. We're talking about working harmoniously
together in the spirit of cooperation. And I've seen comments from abroad that I didn't
particularly appreciate. But we're the United States of America, and we have a leadership
role around the world that has to be fulfilled. And I'm calling the shots in this question in
the way that I think is best. And I've got some selling to do with certain Members of
Congress, and that's understandable to me. So, we'll see how it comes out. But I'm not
approaching this in the spirit of confrontation if that's the question. You haven't seen any
real controversial statements coming out of here up till now."
September 12: At a press conference, the issue of the Israeli loan guarantee postponement
was once again the central theme. Bush was in a controlled rage state during his opening
statement, and went ballistic during the questioning. A questioner noted that Bush
sounded "very tough" on insisting on the delay. Bush:
I just sound principled. I am convinced that this debate would be counterproductive to
peace. And I owe it to the Member of Congress to say it as forcefully as I can. I've worn
out of the telephone in there and one ear, and I'm going to move to the other ear and keep